11 Great Changes Josh D’Amaro Could Make at Disney World for Big Wins as New CEO
Walt Disney World diehards have sky-high expectations for the changes Josh D’Amaro will make now that he’s CEO. This covers our wish list for changes he could make to leave his own mark, scoring wins with fans and continuing the honeymoon. It covers everything from quick and easy wins the new CEO could score overnight, and others he could announce at the 2026 D23 Expo.
New leaders moving quickly to prove themselves and start establishing their own legacy and leadership style is common and expected. Bob Iger famously did so post-Eisner, going on an acquisition spree after working to repair relationships that had been strained. He later went on to fix the cheap new parks built in the late stage of the Eisner regime. And Eisner, for his part, was famously transformative two decades earlier when he took the helm, quite literally saving Disney from corporate raiders.
When Bob Chapek took over as CEO, he endeavored to prove “I’m cheap!” as quickly as possible, speedrunning a slew of awful initiatives seemingly aimed at alienating fans in record time. He then reallocated that money towards streaming, greenlighting a bunch of content that was basically the equivalent of lighting money on fire. In Chapek’s defense (?), COVID was a crazy time. We’re not expecting a repeat of his antics with D’Amaro.
What we could see is a blend of two relatively recent leadership changes. The first is when Tom Staggs took over as Parks & Resorts Chair from the notoriously stingy Jay Rasulo. During his time as Parks Chair, Staggs oversaw the development Pandora – World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom, Shanghai Disney Resort, the NextGen initiative and MagicBands, and more.
Staggs’ track record was hit or miss, but he took big swings. The boldest of these is adding Seven Dwarfs Mine Train to the new Fantasyland project shortly after taking the helm. For those who are newer fans, that space was originally going to have a slew of princess meet & greets in separate little cottages (a la Enchanted Tales with Belle). Staggs told Imagineers to think bigger, and greenlit the innovative Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
The other template for D’Amaro making an immediate impact is Bob Iger’s return, when he replaced Bob Chapek. Iger was reportedly “alarmed” by price increases at Walt Disney World and concerned that Chapek was “killing the soul” of Disney.
He acted accordingly, making several changes one month later to improve the guest experience, like bringing back free overnight self-parking at on-site resort hotels, adding on-ride photos to the Lightning Lane service, relaxing reservations rules, and more. An additional round of guest-friendly changes were announced several months later that undid more of the damage.
With that said, the second Iger regime did not magically make everything better overnight. A lot has changed since 2019, and much of it for the worse. There have been cost-cuts paired with price increases, at the same time that the Parks & Resorts revenue has reached record highs. D’Amaro has been the chair of that division for the last several years, and its financial success is undoubtedly a huge reason why we was selected as the next CEO.
There’s no putting the genie back in the bottle on a lot of the changes that Walt Disney World diehards dislike most. That’s just the unpleasant reality, and we’re not going to pretend otherwise. So if you’re hoping that the restoration of free FastPass makes this list, I’ve got bad news for you.
On a positive note, the previous changes made upon Iger’s return and the ongoing expansion plans, plus the surge in more aggressive discounts and other measures aimed at wooing back disenchanted fans, suggest that it is possible to thread the needle. To maintain record revenue, while also addressing common complaints among fans and make Walt Disney World more accessible.
D’Amaro can extend an olive branch to fans by course-correcting some unpopular decisions made by his predecessors while keeping Wall Street happy. There are ways to have his cake and eat it too, creating a win-win for the company and Disney diehards.
Here are some fairly consequential changes on the table that D’Amaro could fast-track as easy wins…
Relax or Retire Reservations
Many Walt Disney World fans have the perception that theme park reservations are being used to cap capacity, reduce staffing levels, or as an important source of data for resource allocation. None of those things are particularly true. You might be surprised at how little Walt Disney World uses data it collects, and in any case, this data is also available via other channels.
One of the changes we lauded when Iger returned was the end of park reservations for regular ticket holders and relaxation of the rules for everyone else, along with the introduction of Good to Go Days. This was a great idea when it originally launched, but thing circumstances have changed considerably. The default for 45+ weeks per year should be no reservations required. There’s zero danger of any park hitting capacity on over 320 days of the year.
Park reservations were one of Josh D’Amaro’s projects when he was at Disneyland, which is part of what makes this improbable even if it’s highly logical. Reservations still make sense for Annual Passholders at Disneyland. But Walt Disney World is different. Flip the script and make it so reservations are required on APs for the few weeks per year when crowds pose a problem, and let everything else be open access.
Requiring reservations for WDW Annual Passholders is doing more harm than good. They’ve mostly become a formality, and yet, there are former APs and prospective purchasers who are holding out due to the reservation rule. Either on principle or because they don’t realize reservations are now a non-factor at Walt Disney World.
Pulling that lever would generate positive goodwill and could give AP sales a nice little boost, with little to no actual downside. During the busiest weeks of the year, blockouts do the heavy lifting, anyway. They worked for decades through 2019, and would again in 2026. This one would be a win-win for Disney and guests, while also signaling that everything is on the table, even his own pet projects, with D’Amaro as CEO.
Restore Free MagicBands
A lot of this list is going to involve signaling to fans that the old Walt Disney World way of doing things is back. And for all intents and purposes, 2019 is basically the benchmark for a lot of fans.
Amidst all of the negative changes in the post-reopening period, Disney made several moves that slowly killed off the OG MagicBands. First they went from being free to discounted, then prices kept creeping up, then MagicBands were replaced outright by the more expensive but not more useful MagicBand+ wearable. We documented the device’s downfall in the End of an Era for MagicBands at Walt Disney World.
Restoring free MagicBands for resort guests would be a relatively low-cost perk that would generate goodwill and improve the guest experience. It would also differentiate Disney’s resort offering from Universal and other competitors.
Turbocharge the Turbocharge
Earlier this week, we covered a rumor that Walt Disney World’s initial plans for the upcoming Villains Land at Magic Kingdom have been “scrapped,” and Imagineering has gone back to the drawing board to come up with bigger and bolder ideas. That was actually one of the motivations for this post, even though I suspect that “scrapped” is the wrong word to describe what’s happening.
Basically, my bet is that Disney is pulling a “Reverse Toy Story Land” with Villains Land. That they’re going to go full John Hammond on Villains Land, albeit within the original plan’s parameters. Meaning that the Imagineers would be unburdened by budget, and have the blank check to create a Tokyo DisneySea caliber land.
Anyone who has experienced the versions of Toy Story Mania or Soarin(g) in those parks knows what I mean by that. In case you haven’t, they are the definitive versions of those attractions, with the presentation and thematic packaging far surpassing the U.S. versions of those attractions. They go above and beyond, delivering an “unnecessarily” level of detail that pretty much exemplifies DisneySea and puts it in a class all its own.
Obviously, D’Amaro isn’t going to come out and say, “instead of building these new rides by the usual lower standards of Walt Disney World, we’re doin’ it up, Tokyo style!” But he could say something like, “I’ve told the Imagineers to dream big and surpass guest expectations with these new additions. No detail is too small and no show-stopping scene is too big, so we’re investing an extra $X billion in the previously-announced Walt Disney World expansion, all going directly towards blowing you away with these groundbreaking new attractions.”
Remake Muppets Courtyard with MuppetVision 3D
In order to pave the way the aforementioned turbocharged additions, a few fan-favorite attractions have closed. The two most notable are the Rivers of America and MuppetVision 3D, the former of which is never coming back.
It’s potentially a very different story with MuppetVision 3D. Both Disney and the Jim Henson Company have offered statements suggesting that MuppetVision will, in fact, live on in some capacity. This has led us to wonder Where Will MuppetVision Be Relocated at Walt Disney World?
The most intriguing and logical scenario involves creating a new Muppet Courtyard miniland to go along with the upcoming Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets. There’s a plausible scenario where MuppetVision 3D is revived and replaces Villains Unfairly Ever After once Villains Land opens in Magic Kingdom.
Josh D’Amaro would earn a lot of goodwill with fans if he greenlit more of The Muppet Show following its smash success, added MuppetVision 3D to Disney+ ASAP, and teased that there’s more to come, as plans are already in motion to restore MuppetVision to its rightful place in the parks down the road.
Embrace Middle Class Families
One year ago, Walt Disney World Being Worried About Its High Prices stole the spotlight and was an incredibly hot topic for weeks. Disney’s immediate response was…not great, Bob!
But two months later, they actually did deliver with the announcement of Cool Kids’ Summer plus a slew of ticket and resort discounts that reduced prices to 2019 levels. We fully expect these special offers to return for 2026, especially with the summer slowdown of the last several years.
Walt Disney World has done more since to embrace middle class families. Things like Animation Courtyard and Bluey at Animal Kingdom are good starts. But they’re just that–starts. And these efforts can feel fairly minimal when contrasted with the new bars or announcements of pricey, adult-oriented upcharges.
Josh has a golden opportunity with the upcoming Disney Celebrates America 250th Anniversary event for the United States Semiquincentennial celebration. Lean into Americana and Walt Disney’s distinctly patriotic legacy. Make a big deal out of it, with big deals aimed at middle class American families.
This is such an easy and obvious win that I’m honestly shocked we haven’t heard more about Disney Celebrates America at Walt Disney World in Summer 2026. What’s been announced thus far is a good start, but again, it’s just a start.
Restore Disney’s Magical Express
Since the decision to end Disney’s Magical Express was made, we’ve been saying it makes no sense even from a business perspective–that there must be more to the story. This is because, unlike other on-site guest perks, the “free” service was incredibly valuable to Walt Disney World. It made tourists a captive audience who were less likely to go and spend money elsewhere.
In recent years, Universal has expanded its hotel footprint and is now offering a compelling product with great perks at competitive prices. Disney should already be worried about that. Universal has already stolen market share, and it’s only going to get worse as Epic Universe finds its footing and word of mouth turns positive.
This has been my position for years, but I’ve nevertheless been skeptical that Walt Disney World would actually reverse course and admit they got it wrong with Disney’s Magical Express. I still wouldn’t put the chances of its return above 50/50, but I do think they’re considerably higher than before.
This is largely because Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which runs Orlando International Airport (MCO), wants DME to return and is willing to help pay for it. If you don’t believe me, check out Will Disney’s Magical Express Airport Shuttle Ever Return? That recent post covers the very real possibility of DME returning, as part of an initiative by MCO.
This also explains why we’ve seen free luggage handling return as a pilot program. Speaking of which, let’s expand that beyond Southwest Airlines and the Value Resorts to all airlines and hotels. And on the topic of baggage handling, bring back resort package delivery!
Bring Back Cinderella Castle Dream Lights
The Cinderella Castle Dream Lights were one of our favorite things about Christmas at Walt Disney World for over a decade. We spent many a late night on Main Street, simply gazing down at those resplendent icicle lights, savoring the scene.
For those who have never had a chance to see the Cinderella Castle Dream Lights, they were nothing short of spectacular. The simplicity of physical light display gave them a certain charm and tactile quality, and they were the holiday highlight for tons of WDW fans. It’s impossible to articulate what made them so special; words and photos don’t do them justice. Whatever praise you’ve heard about the Dream Lights, it’s true. All of it.
This is another win-win for guests and Disney. Bringing back the Cinderella Castle Dream Lights signals a sea change, making fans happy. It also prompts them to book trips, and at a highly lucrative time of year for Walt Disney World…that largely was not as busy as expected last year.
Return of Evening Extra Magic Hours
I’m a big fan of Extended Evening Hours. I love the perk and think it’s far superior to evening Extra Magic Hours, which had become unbearably uncrowded. However, Walt Disney World had also opened the floodgates on it, increasing the eligibility pool to not just Walt Disney World guests, but those of Good Neighbor Hotels.
The problem with Extended Evening Hours is optics. Fans know this is a good perk, but are downright disillusioned and disenchanted that it’s reserved exclusively “for the rich.” If Disney wants to recalibrate and emphasize the middle class, part of that is toning down instances of the more overt “classism.”
Undo that damage, bring back Evening Extra Magic Hours, and win back fans who feel ignored. The perfect opportunity to make this change is this summer. Add a ton of Evening Extra Magic Hours dates to the calendar during the hottest time of the year when later nights are needed, further incentivizing bookings during a slower time of year. Again, win-win.
Greenlight Journey into Imagination 4.0
Josh, it’s time to play the Figment Card. Bringing back Figment and Dreamfinder is a surefire way of undoing a lot of the damage from controversial changes of the last few years, quieting complaints and criticism. There is no other positive announcement that would outweigh so many prior negatives ones.
It is the surest way to distance yourself from your predecessors, unloading the negative baggage onto them. “Surely Josh wasn’t actually responsible for [bad thing from last 6 years], he’s the one who restored Figment to proper glory!” Rivers of America, MuppetVision, DINOSAUR, guest experience cutbacks–all of it–would be forgiven by fans in the blink of an eye. Or blamed on someone else.
You would be a hero, Josh. Decades from now when your legacy is being debated, Disney diehards would still point to this as evidence, much like we overlook a lot with late stage Eisner. It’s a no-brainer!
On the merits, Figment is more popular than ever. He sells popcorn buckets, sweaters, and everything else. It just makes sense to reimagine Journey into Imagination. It would generate goodwill among WDW diehards and forge new fans in the process. Figment would become the face and mascot of the new-look EPCOT, elevating the otherwise underwhelming central spine in the process. It’d be a license to print money on more new merchandise, too.
So c’mon, Josh. Break the glass and make the legacy-cementing announcement. If you want big and bold, nothing says it like greenlighting a full reimagining of the Imagination Pavilion, bringing back elements of the original attraction while updating it with modern technology and storytelling. Keep Figment front and center, but make him the star of something worthy of his legacy.
Recapturing that lost magic and spirit of imagination would have the same impact today as it did decades ago, which is why so many of us are still Figment fans. It would prove that rides don’t need movie IP to be massive successes. That the theme parks, themselves, are a form of intellectual property. It would demonstrate D’Amaro’s commitment to honoring Disney’s history while also investing in the parks’ future. That he’s willing to address long-standing fan complaints and fix past mistakes.
Invest in Cast Members
One of the biggest ways to signal a return to the ‘old Disney’ way of doing things is by prioritizing a pre-closure initiative to invest millions of dollars in Cast Member morale. This should be low hanging fruit for D’Amaro, as he was the one who originally championed this.
This would have immensely positive cascading effects. One increasingly common complaint from readers we’ve heard in the last few years is that Cast Members are not as “magical” as they used to be. There are several reasons for this, from taking abuse by disgruntled guests to turnover to low morale.
Fixing low morale alone will help remedy this. Improved morale also reduces turnover. Less turnover means less pressure on other Cast Members, which further improves morale. All of this indirectly results in a better guest experience, which improves attitudes of visitors. It’s a not-so-vicious cycle of improving morale for everyone.
BONUS: Restore the Disney Magic
Everything we’ve seen and everything we’ve heard strongly suggests that Josh D’Amaro is the real deal. That he lives and breathes Disney, and gets what makes it special and unlike other companies.
To be sure, he will make business decisions that are unpopular with fans. The first time that happens, some will claim it’s more of the same. In reality, it’s the nature of the beast. Not every decision will make everyone happy, especially so long as demand remains high and guests continue to pay more and accept less.
At the end of the day, D’Amaro has a passion for all things Disney. He cares about his legacy and the history of the company that Walt Disney founded. This counts for a lot. D’Amaro will bring with him his own leadership style, empowering executives, division leaders, managers, and so forth to do things differently. The leaders who we’ve heard from who have vouched for D’Amaro and said they’d follow him anywhere will do so, feeling reinvigorated.
How this will manifest itself from a guest-facing perspective is less certain. It might mean less of a focus on squeezing every last dollar out of visitors, it could create more emphasis on improving guest satisfaction scores, offering more value for money, enhancing the in-park experience, bringing back live entertainment, improving maintenance, or being fixated less on yield management. Maybe it means creating the Figment Park Universe, and adding the original character to ever park on the planet. Who’s to say?!
“Magic” is a nebulous term that means different things to different fans, but the ultimate consequence of implementing even a few of these changes would be undoing the at least some of the erosion of Disney’s goodwill we’ve seen in the last several years. It would signal that there’s a new sheriff in town, and that the D’Amaro era is going to be different. That there’s a great big beautiful (going to spare you the cringey pun) tomorrow.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you expect Josh D’Amaro being named CEO to result in improvements at Walt Disney World? Have high, low, or no expectations? Think Josh will bring back Disney’s Magical Express, free FastPass, or reservation-free visits? What about restoring Journey into Imagination to its former glory? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Meh, Josh is Willow Iger 2.0….just without the yacht expenses paid by Disney….for now. I know there is the fear Iger is lurking around the corner, pulling the Board strings behind the scenes so handcuffing Josh from everything I’m sure in 2 years he will blame on Iger for not letting him accomplish. OR… he could restore Rivers of America on day 1? He really doesn’t have to do that much to let the fandom know he is on their side. Side with Walt, despite what Iger said defaming Walt about Imagaineers viewing Walt in high regard. Just in general, put Walt on a pedestal and build on that, no 11 step program needed. And find a way to get rid of Dana. She is not creative.
One very small thing that would make me very happy, as long as we’re talking about bringing back things – bring back the citrus swirl! Not this orange/vanilla dole whip stuff.
Tom—
As we all speculate about Josh D’Amaro’s promotion to CEO, I keep returning to your conclusion that “everything we’ve seen and everything we’ve heard strongly suggests that Josh D’Amaro is the real deal.” I’m not entirely sure what you mean by that phrase, beyond your emphasis on his “passion for all things Disney,” so I’d like to offer a slightly more mixed, but still hopeful, perspective.
Looking at his tenure as chairman of Disney Experiences since May 2020, several tangible decisions—many of which I listed in my earlier reply to your post on D’Amaro becoming CEO (My Meeting with New Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro Confirms He’s the Best Pick for Parks Fans) —have downgraded the guest experience while materially increasing the cost of a family Disney vacation. Taken together, these moves suggest a leader who is highly effective at driving revenue and operating income, but also one who is comfortable extracting more value from guests while simultaneously shrinking or re‑theming legacy experiences. On top of that, D’Amaro has often declined to publicly own or explain some of the least popular changes, which raises fair questions about his instinct for candor.
To be fair, the recent expansion plans and “flash” pricing initiatives—largely funded by guests paying more for experiences that in many cases have not fundamentally changed—are not, by themselves, a complete picture of D’Amaro as a leader or of his vision for Disney. From Iger, to Chapek, to D’Amaro, Disney’s leadership has for nearly a decade made park decisions that are persistently financially driven, especially as the Experiences Division was used to shoulder the heavy costs of the Fox acquisition and the missteps in Disney’s streaming strategy. Some of this is understandable: one healthy Disney division was effectively asked to underwrite a struggling one, and the post‑COVID turnaround of Disney Experiences was built largely on guests funding both a recovery and future growth.
What troubles me more is the lack of transparency around some of the most emotionally charged changes in the parks portfolio over the past few years, from Rivers of America to Muppets. If, as you write, “D’Amaro has a passion for all things Disney” and cares deeply about the company’s history and legacy, then it is fair to ask why a leader whose public identity is so guest‑focused has repeatedly failed to offer straightforward explanations for decisions that cut to the heart of Disney park identity. Even a short, straightforward acknowledgment of the rationale behind something like the decision to kill Rivers of America could have helped, rather than leaving the Disney fan base filled with speculation and frustration.
The way big moves are communicated compounds this issue. Post-COVID, teases at D23 about “shovels in the ground,” concept art that encourages hopeful speculation, and long windows between promise and delivery can give guests a sense of false hope that seems driven as much by financial timing as by legacy stewardship. Meanwhile, during this same period, guests were being asked to pay substantially more while beloved attractions were removed or re‑themed, yielding what often feels like “more money for a downgraded experience.”
Harvard Business Review recently noted that D’Amaro exemplifies experience intelligence in leadership. An experience-intelligent leader understands that experiences create lasting feelings, those feelings drive behavior, and behavior drives outcomes. To generate exceptional outcomes, such a leader must deliver exceptional experiences. As D’Amaro observed regarding Smuggler’s Run, “people like it, but they don’t love it,” underscoring that the most powerful experiences are those guests say they “love,” not merely “like,” “respect,” “learned a lot,” or “really enjoyed.”
If this is who D’Amaro is, his strategy for driving higher parks revenue appears grounded in something other than experience intelligence. Instead, it has emphasized extracting more money from Disney guests, in ways large and small. Disney has steadily increased park profitability and measured its success in doing so against a standard of how far prices can be raised (and free perks removed) before guests reach the boiling point of “I don’t like it,”, and vote with their wallets against Disney. These financial moves have not been measured against a standard of whether guests “love” the resulting experience, but have been made meaningful improvements in the experience itself. (Looking at you, Tiana, and the overall demise of Frontierland. Ignoring the politics, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure illustrates how grafting a preexisting screen property onto a ride simply will not work let alone improve with an attraction originally built on Imagineers’ freedom to create a unique story that captured the core appeal of theme parks.) It is difficult to imagine many Disney guests in the last five years saying they “love” what Disney has done with both pricing and the overall quality of the “reimagining” of the parks (Looking at you, the EPCOT five-year hole in the ground resulting in —what?).
The money‑first mindset is also easy to see in offerings like the Beak and Barrel. It is, in many ways, a delight—strong theming, excellent storytelling, and an experience that lives up to the high standards you rightly praise at Tokyo Disney. But with a capacity of about 150 guests, a 45‑minute time limit, and conservative per‑guest spending assumptions, Beak and Barrel can reasonably generate tens of thousands of dollars in revenue per day—millions over the course of a year. The “Pirates of the Caribbean” experience is slightly upgraded, but only for 45 minutes and only if you pay extra on top of an already expensive park ticket. Add‑ons like this—along with Lightning Lane, dessert parties, and other paid enhancements—create a dynamic in which the guest experience is either somewhat improved if you can afford it, or overshadowed by FOMO if you cannot.
This is where I think your “real deal” framing needs nuance. D’Amaro is undeniably skilled at driving revenue and operating income, often by taking away previously free benefits and replacing them with paid alternatives. But when leaders ask guests to pay substantially more while removing or re‑theming beloved attractions, and then decline to speak plainly about the trade‑offs, it signals a lack of transparency that is at odds with the company’s stated values. Most Disney guests are not shareholders and do not read financial reports; D’Amaro is and does, and he understands how these decisions play on the balance sheet. That pattern deserves close attention now that he is responsible for the entire company narrative.
At the same time, I don’t view D’Amaro’s appointment as a mistake. He loves Disney, and does practice experience intelligence. It matters to him what guests and cast members are thinking and experiencing. I’m encouraged by his pairing with Dana Walden, whose creative and media strengths complement his parks and operations background. D’Amaro was a logical choice for CEO, and I genuinely think he has the potential to usher in a new chapter for Disney if he’s willing to re-balance his approach.
Where I think your “easy wins” list is especially powerful is that many of the ideas are not just symbolic, but tangible financial rollbacks that would help average guests: bringing back Magical Express and free luggage handling, restoring free MagicBands, dialing back price hikes, and so on. Those changes would send a clear signal that the goal is not simply maximizing short‑term revenue per guest, but rebuilding long‑term goodwill and trust. Disney does not have to choose between profitability and principle if leadership is willing to prioritize both. I would love to see D’Amaro stand up in front of shareholders and guests and say that the era of prioritizing financial optimization over transparency and long‑term guest goodwill is over. THAT would be experience intelligence in action.
Rather than respond point‑by‑point to your “win” suggestions, I’d highlight a few broad areas where your platform can help keep sustained, constructive pressure on D’Amaro—especially around issues that directly affect typical guests:
• Park assets and infrastructure that are overdue for serious maintenance and refresh.
• Bringing prices back within reach for typical families (recent “Cool Kids Summer”–style promotions are a start, but not a solution).
• Preserving Disney’s legacy, including resisting over‑reliance on IP overlays and branding when they undermine organic storytelling (and notwithstanding Walt’s Flywheel).
• Re‑centering Imagineering and narrative quality as the core of the parks portfolio.
• Protecting cast members and elevating frontline guest service as a non‑negotiable priority.
Tokyo Disney remains a living template. Pricing is fair, service is consistently excellent. The guest experience reflects a company identity that is not primarily about maximizing short‑term revenue per guest. We cannot go backward—Rivers of America is gone, and relocating Muppets 3D may be a pipe dream—but we can insist on always moving forward in a way that is guided by the Disney legacy rather than by quarterly metrics alone. D’Amaro has proven that Parks and Experiences can be a profit powerhouse; the challenge now is to prove that Disney can sustain that profitability while rebuilding trust, transparency, and a sense of shared purpose with Disney guests.
Thanks, as always, for the work you do for the Disney fan community. A candid, thoughtful relationship between you and D’Amaro could be exactly what both the company and its most loyal fans need right now.
Bravo John! You are 100% correct D’Amaro has to prove to the guests that he has “passion for all things Disney,”. Because as of yet he has not shown it.
You pointed out all the facts of D’Amaro’s time in charge of the parks where he was not showing a “passion for all things Disney”. I only hope Tom takes all your points and somehow has the influence and desire to convince D’Amaro, “Walt’s dreams are most important”.
The Disney legacy lives strong in Tokyo. Now it is time the USA do the same.
Apologies. I included some old language in paragraphs 6 and 7 of my comment that had been edited. The correct language for those paragraphs is below.
Harvard Business Review recently noted that D’Amaro exemplifies experience intelligence in leadership. An experience‑intelligent leader understands that experiences create lasting feelings, those feelings drive behavior, and behavior drives outcomes. To generate exceptional outcomes, such a leader must therefore deliver exceptional experiences. As D’Amaro observed about Smuggler’s Run, “people like it, but they don’t love it,” underscoring that the most powerful experiences are those guests say they “love,” not merely “like,” “respect,” “learned a lot,” or “really enjoyed.”
If this is who D’Amaro is, his recent strategy for driving higher parks revenue appears grounded in something other than experience intelligence. Instead, it has emphasized extracting more money from Disney guests, in ways both large and small. Disney has steadily increased park profitability and gauged its success by how far prices can be raised (and free perks removed) before guests reach the boiling point of “I don’t like it” and vote with their wallets against Disney. These financial moves have not been assessed against a standard of whether guests “love” the resulting experience, and they could not be, because many of these changes have been made without any meaningful improvements in the experience itself.
Ignoring the politics, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure exemplifies this problem: grafting a preexisting screen property onto a ride cannot match—let alone improve on—an attraction originally built on Imagineers’ freedom to create a unique story that captured the core appeal of theme parks. Likewise, it is difficult to imagine many Disney guests in the last five years saying they “love” what Disney has done with both pricing and the overall quality of the parks’ much‑touted “reimagining” (see, for example, the five‑year EPCOT construction pit that has yielded…what, exactly?).
Haven’t been since 2019 due to all the missing things I keep hearing about. #1 would be to bring back the feel of an all-inclusive so the loss of the magical express is huge and also agree a magic band return with the bands sent ahead of time to create excitement would be great. Also would love to see the return of some of the street shows and performers that they kept axing. Finally, make it more family friendly by doing something about the dining plan. We don’t drink so that’s a waste. I remember the days when appetizer and dessert was included and that wowed us. Make it at least appetizer or alcohol instead of funding alcohol off non-drinkers. And something needs to be done about adult prices for tween kids when they barely eat! Done right, the dining plan can contribute to that all-inclusive feel we used to enjoy.
I agree Kristi with what you say right down to we have not been in the parks since 2019.
Disney has taken the fun out of being able to enjoy the surroundings and theming instead we have to be attached to our phones. I loved the pre-planning of rides, not the way they do it now. I sorely miss the brass band at the Grand Floridian. I didn’t mention we have been staying at the Disney resorts and doing all things free. With all the nickel and diming it is just too much when you add the whole package deal now! And yes, we were there for the first “free” dining in 2005…it was awesome with the free appetizer, entree, drinks, dessert and TIP! Those were the days! When you ask my kids what they remember they say, “We ate like kings and queens.” I do miss a lot of the things that have not come back the same as in 2019!
Considering that public transportation is *literally* what started the Disney parks, and how much Walt tried incorporated transportation into his vision, it’s kind of surprising there isn’t something to help resort guests get to/from the airport.
For me, the extended hours are a major reason why I make sacrifices (and wait for discounts) to stay at the Deluxe resorts. I thought it was such a sweet and wonderful reward. Someone else posted an idea about having a similar perk at a different park for all resort guests, I really liked that idea, everyone staying at a Disney resort should feel that special.
Here’s a thought: Take the old Liberty Belle riverboat and find a nice place for it in the parks, preferably MK, put various restaurants in it and call it the Empress Lily. Talk about 1) going back to your roots 2) restore the honor to Walt’s beloved Lillian and 3) add some much needed nice eating places at the Magic Kingdom.
Yes Steve – wonderful idea. I remember the Empress Lily and its fantastic character breakfasts. So sad that it is gone. Unfortunately, I believe this Disney Corp doesn’t want anything directly connected with Walt or his dreams. A simple example: WEDWAY now only called People Mover. This new generation would not even know what “WED” stood for. Then of course there was the ending of using Walt’s grand announcement “Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls….” Now they want to add to MK with the villains land that will have a castle. They enlarged Fantasyland only to put in cheap unattractive rides and a partial Beast’s castle that is nothing more than an expensive restaurant. Not to mention the destruction of Rivers of America to be replaced with a Pixar creation. Walt’s dreams are coming to an end and it is sad.
Package Delivery for deluxe resorts is a perk I do miss. I would probably make more spur of the moment purchases and also encourage me to buy more if I did not have to lug it around.
Why is 2019 a benchmark for so many? It was our first trip so it certainly is for us but what about others? Was it their first time as well? Was it some sort of apex of peak Disney? Is it just that it was the last “normal” Disney year before covid? Just curious.
Mainly because it’s the “19” in COVID-19 and things have never been the same since. Also non-coincidentally the last year before Chapek and the “not quite as good as the original” Iger 2.0.
Just curious…what things would you do to fix Cast Member morale? I think it’s more than increasing pay.
Actually, Matt Ouimet brought up an important way to fix/help morale…create a pride of purpose.
Here’s his post on LinkedIn…
Matt Ouimet
Retired Themepark, Cruise and Hotel ExecutiveRetired Themepark, Cruise and Hotel Executive
2h • 2 hours ago • Visible to anyone on or off LinkedIn
“He returned jet-lagged from Egypt and Jordan the day before but showed up yesterday afternoon to tour a select group of industry executives through EPIC Universe. He is a senior executive who could have easily delegated this to others on his staff, but there he was leading us through his park for four hours, joining us on rides he had been on countless times before and thoughtfully answering every question that was asked.
The interesting thing is that I’ve seen this dozens of times before. Others may argue that our industry isn’t unique, but it feels to me like it is. You reach out to a park owned by someone else asking for a tour and the response is always positive. And when someone reaches out to you, you grant their request as well.
Some refer to this as a professional courtesy, but I think there is deeper motivation. I think that it is motivated by the pride the host has in their experience and their people.
I’ve written before that one of the most valuable things leaders can do for their people is create a pride of purpose.
Help them be proud of where they work; proud of their fellow colleagues; and proud of their role in the success of the company.
I saw evidence of pride of purpose in technicolor yesterday.
It was obvious in our host, Jeff and the others that assisted us. I know they enjoyed the group’s reaction every time we experienced the reveal of a new land after walking through the portals.
It was also obvious in the chatter among the assembled group I had been invited to join. They are clearly proud of where they work, they are proud of who they work with, and they are proud to play a role in the success of the company.
EPIC Universe is truly impressive and so are cultures that provide their people a strong pride of purpose.”
People love MuppetVision 3D, but it’s a tired attraction and it disappeared unceremoniously at California Adventure. I propose a dark ride version that’s repeatable.
Alternatively, transfer the soon to be closed Monsters Inc ride at California Adventure to the new Monsters Land with the former Muppets Theater as a queue line.
Convert Galaxy’s Edge Batuu to Tatooine Mos Eisley. No more half measures. We don’t want Rise of Resistance. Change to Empire Strikes Again.
Double attractions count for all minor theme parks to minimum of 20 in each park. I just don’t care for how Epcot, Studios, and Animal Kingdom are completely neglected. Park hopping doesn’t make up for how each park is completely inadequate as stand alone parks. The low hanging fruit is add Raging Spirits to Indiana Jones Adventure in Animal Kingdom. Add all the proposed attractions to Epcot that were cut like Mary Poppins. Add the Frozen roller coaster that is installed in Hong Kong in the Norway Pavilion. Add some kids flat rides in the former Wonder of Life dome or a family roller coaster.
On the extra evening magic hours, I’m actually ok with the “exclusive” perk, but what I would suggest is just adding to it– every night there’s a exclusive perk for the Deluxe resort guests (and maybe add more food / drink options open late for the Deluxe guests), have one other park open even just two hours additional for EVERY on-site resort guest. The Deluxe guests already have shown they have deep pockets and want to spend for premium experiences (OK fine, you want to rope off the non-ride parts of Epcot world showcase, but you can’t keep the Norway bakery, or the Mexico food service or France bakery / wine tasting parts open? That’s late night free money if you ask me), while most of the on-site resort guests not in Deluxe resorts prioritize attraction riding.
Also, just put / merge Muppet Courtyard IP into Sunset Boulevard already. This seems so easy with all that dead space between Brown Derby and the Rock n Roller Coaster.
I enjoyed your comment, particularly because it is respectful to everyone. I stay at the Deluxe resorts, but it takes sacrifices (and discounts) to make it happen, so I find the Extended Hours to be such a wonderful gift – probably the most special and magical part of my last trip even. I like your idea of keeping it while extending a different but similar reward to all the resort guests – because everyone staying at a Disney resort should feel that special.
Aloha from Hawaii <3
I don’t know if the popularity of the water parks is in part to the free day encouraging guests to buy more days or not… but if it is, let’s give the general public what they actually want, a third water park. (Or if you’re Universal, a seventh park.) While it won’t feel the same scaled up to the size of the other two parks and placed somewhere else on property, I will give the online fans what we want by suggesting it be themed to a countryside full of rivers.
If DME doesn’t come back, at least bring back the “yellow tags” so once you drop off your luggage you don’t need to see them until you are at the resort. If you currently offer this pilot program to the budget resorts why not for all of us. I don’t mind paying for Mears but to get rid of the hassel of luggage would be such a relief.
I wish they would bring back the free magic bands. There was something magical about receiving those in the mail, building the anticipation for your trip. Its especially tough with kids because they don’t have phones and need the magic band for tapping in to everything, but the extra cost for one just seems like nickel and diming everybody when the prices are already so high for a trip.
I also agree with bringing back the magical express. It was a nice perk and hassle free, and especially helpful with kids so you don’t have to deal with finding a ride with car seats and safety features.
Agree with most of this (although I don’t think there are enough people available to bring back Magic Express, with labor shortages.) I will add that I think a logical extension of focusing on the middle class is a big focus on capacity. Even with prices as high as they are, the parks are often overcrowded, so anything that might increase crowds needs to be met with substantial capacity increases and better crowd management. Maybe even getting into my dream scenario of Disney building some kind of Great Wolf Lodge equivalent elsewhere in the country.
Also hope they’ll get into upgrades that are actually upgrades, and not just paid solutions to problems created by Disney (i.e. Lightning Lane after taking away FP+). I would actually be for lots of cool new experiences that you are free to take or leave, depending on whether you want to pay for them or not. So long as it’s actually an add-on, and not, again, just paying to have a decent park experience. Like give me some Disney equivalent of a Medieval Times experience or some epic Villains firework seating (not like sitting on the grass so you don’t get squashed in the human soup on Main Street, like something awesome specifically made for that purpose) and I’ll be happy to pay for it, but also ok with skipping it if I’m cutting costs.
Nic – love your idea of an equivalent of Medieval Times. However, it doesn’t have to be in the park. How about Disney Springs? I don’t know of any entertainment there. This would help with the overcrowding at the parks. There should be restaurants that offer meals with the characters. A luau dinner and show. Also a large concert hall for shows. With all the construction going on in each of the parks – rides are limited but ticket prices aren’t going down. There’s not enough room in the parks nor enough for people to do – other than waiting on long lines. Also – most of the rides Disney is creating are short – 3 min or less. This creates more crowds with people going to another short ride.
Joyce – yes, I would love it wherever! I do think Disney Springs gets forgotten about (we are big fans of Cirque but barely knew there was a show there and haven’t gotten to it, for example) but that could always change with marketing or promos.
yes to all of the above
How About Yes To An Actual Life? LOL!
Yes to all of the above , but what about The DAS PROGRAM , why isn’t anybody mentioning it. Thousands of people need the DAS the way it was.